Home > Frequently Asked Questions > Overpayments and how to reduce the risk of getting an overpayment

How do you get an overpayment?

If you get:

fortnightly payments of Family Tax Benefit; or
Family Tax Benefit as reduced tax; and/or
Child Care Benefit as reduced fees; and

your income is higher than you have estimated or your circumstances change, you could be at risk of being overpaid.

Some of the most common reasons why overpayments occur are due to:

underestimating your income
an increase in income such as a pay increase, an increase in casual hours, working overtime, getting a bonus or a lump sum payment;
varying shared care arrangements
a partner returns to work
a Family Tax Benefit child earns above the income limit
not lodging tax returns on time
not notifying us that you have re-partnered; and
not updating your income when your income changes.

If you have a change in family circumstances or an increase in family income, you need to contact us as soon as possible.

Please Note: You and your partner must either lodge a tax return or tell the Family Assistance Office that you are not required to lodge a tax return (the Australian Taxation Office can tell you whether you are required to lodge a tax return). If you do not do either of these things, any Family Tax Benefit you have received will become a debt and will have to be repaid.

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